Ohio State has the ability to put the lid on the running game
Clemson running back Travis Etienne on Ohio State's defense: “They're structured to stop the run, so that's a challenge within itself.” pic.twitter.com/lM25nBETFj
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 29, 2020
If you want to try and slow down a dynamic offense like the one Clemson is going to roll out on the field Friday, you want to be able to stop one aspect of the balance. For Ohio State, it’ll do its best to take away the running game, and there’s good reason to believe it’ll have success.
The Buckeyes are the sixth-best team in the country when it comes to allowing yards on the ground, and the scheme is one in which guys go down-hill and commit to plugging holes and making life difficult to open up running lanes.
The Tigers’ wide-receiving corps isn’t as explosive as last season, or even over the last few years, so taking the running game away can pay huge dividends.
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